Ross: Motive of Trump shooter not important, how he got an AR-15 is

As we wait to find out what was on the mind of the 20-year-old with the gun, I think we already know that whatever his motive turns out to have been, it probably won’t change anything.

As much as we would all like to understand the motive, other than satisfying our curiosity, I don’t see us doing much with that information.

The theme of the official reaction so far has been that we have to lower the temperature. But the bad guy with the gun wasn’t engaged in some political debate. That’s not his defining characteristic. His defining characteristic was access to a powerful weapon and a determination to kill innocent people.

Previous coverage: Trump rally shootings being investigated as ‘assassination attempt’; One spectator and gunman dead

Every time somebody does something like this, I keep thinking that, at some point, there has to be a way to keep powerful weapons out of the wrong hands. But the wrong hands are everywhere.

How many nightmares does it take? This has happened at music festivals, classrooms, theatres, nightclubs, along the freeway, at a shopping mall. Now it happened at a campaign rally.

Fortunately, the good guy with the gun won this time, but only because he was a trained counter-terrorist sniper. And even then, it was way too close – and also too late for the firefighter who died saving his family.

We all know no candidate deserves to be shot while running for office, but it’s also important to remember that no one deserves to be shot sitting in the bleachers watching a campaign speech — or in any of those other public places.

More from Dave Ross: Now I get my say on Biden, Trump during the presidential debate

And if all that happens as a result of this investigation is that we beef up protection for candidates and just accept the threat to the rest of us, I don’t think our prayers for peace are going to be answered.

Listen to “Seattle’s Morning News” with Dave Ross and Colleen O’Brien weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

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